How important are American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination scores when applying for fellowships?

Background: The American Board of Surgery In-Training examination (ABSITE) first was administered in 1975 to evaluate a resident's general knowledge as well as the deficiencies within the resident and surgical program. The added importance of this examination in recent years stems from a correlation between ABSITE performance and performance on the American Board of Surgery qualifying examination. However, data are lacking in regard to how fellowship programs view ABSITE scores when considering applicants.